I believe that the ad below
contains a symbolic subliminal message. Such a message is transmitted via
plainly visible objects or images.
If they exist, these messages appear framed to appeal to
our baser instincts, fears and faculties. Their producers would know from testing
and research that the target audience would psychologically repress them; but
would hope that at least a certain percentage of viewers will, while consciously
ignoring or rationalizing them, subconsciously recognize and respond to them.

The controversy surrounding this type of
subliminal stems from a long-running debate over the existence and nature of the
subconscious; and from the fact that all things in which humans find symbolic
meaning (words, numbers, images, music, etc.) can, and most often do, have
multiple meanings. If you doubt that last statement, open any dictionary;
you'll see that almost every word listed has multiple meanings. We attach
specific meanings from the context in which we find the symbol. When
Sigmund Freud famously said, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar", I
think he meant that in some situations people simply smoke cigars; in others
they use them as phallic symbols. Likewise, the
objects that convey subliminal meaning in this ad will have different meanings
in other contexts. You need to ask, does this specific context give it a subliminal
meaning?

Review the ad, then think about the answers I've provided to the questions
beneath it. If you disagree with my answers, try to determine what you see
that I don't; or vice versa.

What item are you analyzing? An ad for Revlon's Scoundrel perfume

The message you chose to work with is transmitted via (check off all applicable categories)

__X__

written language

_____

spoken language

_____

music

_____

other sound

__X__

image (photo, drawing, etc.)

__X__

color

_____

other visual

_____

other _______________________

The medium used to transmit the message is (check off the type that applies)

_____

book

__X__

magazine

_____

newspaper

_____

mail or e-mail

_____

billboard or poster

_____

TV

_____

radio

_____

film

_____

CD, audiotape, etc.

_____

other _________________

Who authored the message?

Unknown

At whom is it targeted?

Women, and the men who desire them sexually

Is it commercial or non-commercial?

Commercial

In one clear, brief sentence, summarize the message with which you've
decided to work.

Using Scoundrel causes a woman to attract men, just like a female ape in estrus attracts
males of her species.

Are there other propagandistic messages in this item?

Probably

Is the author attempting to elicit a behavior or a belief?

Behavior

Clearly state the behavior or belief the author wants from the target.

S/he wants women to buy this perfume, or men to buy it for them.

Does the message attempt to manipulate with emotion, reason or both?

Emotion

Describe how you think the manipulation works?

This very attractive model is dressed in a seductive black, backless
dress. She clearly wants to attract one or more men. As no
wedding ring is visible, she may well be unattached. Aside from her
skin, and the bottled perfume, the only color in the ad is the red mask she
is holding behind her. This fact draws our eye and attention to it.
On the surface, it appears that she might be attending a masked ball or
party, and is absent-mindedly holding the mask behind her. But closer
examination shows that this cannot be the case. When you imagine her
moving her hand back to her face to cover her eyes with the mask once again,
you'll see that the mask would be upside down. Also, place your hand
in the same position as the one holding her mask. Such a position
feels awkward; it is very unlikely that anyone would absent-mindedly rest a
hand like that. The photographer clearly had her hold the mask in that
position for some other reason. Here is one plausible possibility.

Females of several primate species develop a swollen, red protuberance
on their rears, just above their genitalia, during the times of the year
when they are sexually receptive. Additionally, at these times they
produce odors that excite the males of their species. In this context,
the red mask, located as it is, and the odor associated with perfume give
special meaning to the ad's second line of text, "A major new disturbance."
As males in other species often fight over sexually receptive females, the
disturbance could indeed become major.

The producer of this ad probably believes that as primates, human
viewers would subconsciously recognize the estrus symbolism and connect the
primal urges they'd feel to a conscious desire for this perfume.

"In some species of Old World monkeys and apes, adult females have
sexual skins or swellings, which are nearly hairless large swollen patches
of skin around the genital area that become very prominent when they are in
estrus. These areas swell with fluids and turn bright pink or red due to
hormonal changes that occur in preparation for ovulation. The sexual skin
also produces odors that excite males of the species. They become highly
attentive to the females at this time. In the case of olive baboons, males
are most attracted to females with the largest sexual skin bulge. Those
females tend to have babies more often and subsequently pass on the genes
for this impressive signal of sexual readiness."

His page also displays this picture of a female Hamadryas baboon in
estrus.

Do you believe this item was successful propaganda?

Absolutely

What evidence supports your answer to the last question?

This ad ran over time in different magazines. Advertisers test
consumer response to individual ads, and do not reuse those that fail to
generate expected sales.